The 2007 Sleepers: Burnout Dominator PSP

21 Apr 2008 at 18:36:21 by Paul Younger

As the series changes gear, 'Burnout Dominator' delivers the final drawing in of breath before

"They striped out everything not fundamental to the boost danger tension"

the prolonged exhale of 'Burnout Paradise'. On PSP it delivers a glance over the shoulder and provides one last sweet chance to experience the best of Burnout so far. This essay on restraint and quality delivers a game that is easily our PSP slow burning hit of 2007.

As discussed in our 'Paradise' review, the series has long been a flat out charge to perfection. Each release has pushed the boundaries of both technology and play mechanic. The first taste of their risk-reward recipe, 'Point of Impact', was a revelation that sketched a formula promising to take Criterion to great heights. The charge continued with 'Maximum Impact’s' burnouts, bigger crashes and even more ridiculous speeds. 'Takedown' then allowed competitors the climax of the crash, each with its own unique reward. 'Revenge' stretched the danger still further by letting drivers nudge civilian traffic into the path of competitors.

While girding itself to deliver a truly next generation 'Burnout', Criterion needed to meditate on what had made the series great thus far. As they sped towards what would become 'Burnout Paradise' they peered out the back window at all that was quickly disappearing into the horizon. One element stood high above the rest, one mechanic, one meme encapsulated their project to date: Burnouts. The ability to chain boosts together, filling the next tank even whilst emptying the previous, enabled players to string them together to increase both speed and score in a joyous feedback loop of risk and adrenaline drenched reward.

As if unwilling to quite let this idea go, Criterion brought it back for one more outing. Thus 'Burnout Dominator' was born, and on PSP this really outshines not just the previous 'Burnout 'release 'Legends', but also the majority of the other PSP releases of 2007.

"Criterion brought it back for one more outing"

'Burnout Dominator' not only benefits from the return of chained burnouts (unseen since 'Maximum Impact') but also some intelligent design restraint. Although the recent 'Burnout Revenge' had been a success, its addition of traffic checking and increased after touch had distracted from some of the series’ core competencies. Criterion understood that this distraction from the pure risk-reward racing was the cost of introducing the innovation demanded by a new 'Burnout' game. But in 'Dominator’s retrospective they were able to streamline things once more. They striped out everything not fundamental to the boost danger tension. Gone was traffic checking, gone were periphery race modes and gone was the overblown crash after-touch.

Some would think that a successful franchise rests on its ability to innovate, re-imagine and reinvent itself for each iteration. Sure these qualities are in the mix, but they pale into insignificance next to the importance of restraint and consistency. It is this that is the proof that a developer really comprehends what it has created. 'Burnout Dominator' is a master class in franchise management and is testament to Criterion’s grasp of their series.

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